lify their
manners and mode of life, will be sufficient for the purposes of our
narrative, the course of which must necessarily be somewhat interrupted
by these details. Some knowledge of the habits of the adventurers, and
of the events that befell them at this early period of their history,
is however needful for the illustration of the story; and they shall be
briefly given, before we take up the thread of the narrative a few
years subsequent to the period of which we are now speaking.

For some time the friendly relations with the Wampanoges, which had
been established by Carver and further cemented by Bradford, remained
undisturbed, and no signs of hostility were shown by any other of the
neighboring Indian tribes. This was probably owing, in a great degree,
to the wholesome example of decided measures that had been given to the
natives on the occasion of the capture of Hobomak and Squanto, and also
to the efficient means of defense that were now adopted by the
settlers. On their first arrival in New England, they had planted their
guns on the hill which commanded the rising city of New Plymouth, and
which afterwards received the name of 'the Burying Hill.' There, as we
have seen, the remains of the venerable Carver were deposited; and
there the infant form of Ludovico Maitland was laid in its last narrow
resting-place, and shaded by shrubs and plants that Edith, and the
faithful servant Janet, delighted to place there, and to tend and water
with untiring care and watchfulness.

This hill was converted, during the first year of the Pilgrim's
residence in New England, into a kind of irregular fortification. The
storehouse--which was also the chapel and the council hall--stood on
the summit, and this was surrounded by a strong wall of timber, well
furnished with batteries, on which a watch was kept night and day, to
look out for the approach of any hostile parties of Indians. At a
considerable distance from this building ran a strong wooden palisade,
that enclosed the height entirely, and was divided into four portions,
the entrance to which was securely fastened every night; and the able-
bodied men of the colony, under the command of Miles Standish, were
arranged in four squadrons, to the care of each of which one quarter
was entrusted. The occupation which this charge entailed on the
limited number of men who were capable of undertaking it, in addition
to their necessary labors and employments in building their